Bean Consumption during Childhood Is Associated with Improved Nutritional Outcomes in the First Two Years of Life

Bean consumption during childhood may play a role in promoting early-life health given their high nutritional quality. To examine the associations of children’s bean consumption with the socio-demographic characteristics of the child and mother and the child’s nutrient intake, we analyzed data from the WIC-ITFPS-2, which followed children and their mothers at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, and 24 months (m) following birth. Caregivers (mostly mothers) responded to an interview-administered 24 h recall on their child’s dietary intake at each time point. The intake of dried beans, chili, yellow beans, and lima beans was quantified. Correlate measures included socio-demographic characteristics. Outcome measures of interest focused on the intake of macronutrients (grams and % kcals) and micronutrients at 11 (infancy) and 24 m (toddler) only. To ensure statistical power, we only examined the associations of dried beans and chili with socio-demographics (Chi-square tests) and nutritional outcomes (ANOVA) at 11 and 24 m. The proportion of children who consumed dried beans or chili was very low in the first 6 m of age, started to increase at 7 m (1.2% and 0.4%) and 11 m (4.9% and 2.3%), and reached a high level at 18 m (10.5%) and 24 m (5.9%), respectively. Consumption of yellow or lima beans was rare (<0.1%). At 11 and 24 m, dried bean consumption was higher in children who were White (vs. Black). Dried bean and chili consumption was higher in children who were of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (vs. non-Hispanic or non-Latino ethnicity). Children who consumed dried beans and chili at 11 or 24 m had a higher intake of total energy, protein, total fiber, potassium, folate, and magnesium compared with non-consumers. The bean consumption was low amongst children, differed by race and ethnicity, and was associated with improved macro- and micronutrient intake in children at 11 and 24 m.